NEW YORK—Jon Lester pitched a five-hitter while Boston roughed up Andy Pettitte in a 7-0 victory over New York on Thursday night that ended a five-game losing streak.

A throwing error by shortstop Derek Jeter gave the Red Sox a quick lead. Coco Crisp came back from a five-game suspension to score twice, and it was 6-0 by the fifth inning.

Lester (7-3) made his most impressive start since pitching a no-hitter against Kansas City on May 19. He struck out eight, walked two and won his fourth straight decision.

New York lost for the fourth time in five games.

Pettitte (9-6) lasted 4 2-3 innings as his six-game winning streak came ended.

Jacoby Ellsbury’s two-run double in the second made it 4-0.

Royals 10, Orioles 7

BALTIMORE—Mark Grudzielanek went 4-for-5 and played a key role in a seven-run sixth inning for Kansas City.

The Royals overcame a four-run deficit and two homers by Aubrey Huff to earn a split of the four-game series. Kansas City took an early 3-0 lead, then yielded seven straight runs before sending 11 players to the plate in their most prolific inning of the season.

Jose Guillen led off the sixth with a walk and capped the scoring with a two-run single.

The last time the Royals scored more than six runs in an inning was June 14, 2007—an eight-run second against St. Louis.

Joakim Soria worked a perfect ninth for his 23rd save for the Royals, who had lost nine of their last 10 at Camden Yards.

Huff hit a solo shot in the fourth and a two-run drive in the fifth, both off Kyle Davies.



Athletics 3, White Sox 2

CHICAGO—Justin Duchscherer pitched seven solid innings, Jack Cust and Donnie Murphy homered and Oakland beat Chicago to snap the White Sox’s seven-game win streak.

Javier Vazquez took the loss despite pitching his first complete game in nearly a year and retiring the first 11 batters. Chicago took a 2-0 lead in the first on a leadoff homer by DeWayne Wise and an RBI double by Jermaine Dye, before Duchscherer settled down.

Oakland, which had lost four of five, broke through in the fourth when Cust tied it with a two-run homer, and Murphy made it 3-2 with a solo drive in the fifth.

That was enough for Duchscherer (9-5), the major-league leader with a 1.96 ERA.



NATIONAL LEAGUE

Diamondbacks 6, Brewers 5

PHOENIX—Conor Jackson’s two-run single capped Arizona’s six-run ninth inning and the Diamondbacks beat Milwaukee.

Three Brewers pitchers failed to record an out as seven straight Diamondbacks reached base in the ninth.

The rally began against Guillermo Mota, who gave up a leadoff single to Robby Hammock, a walk to Chris Burke and an infield single to Augie Ojeda.

Brian Shouse relieved to face pinch-hitter Chad Tracy, who hit the first pitch into the gap in right-center to clear the bases and cut the deficit to 5-3.

Closer Salomon Torres gave up a bloop single to Justin Upton, which put runners at the corners, and Orlando Hudson’s double down the left field line made it 5-4 and sent Upton to third base. Jackson singled through the drawn-in infield.

Torres (4-2) blew his third save in 18 chances.



Dodgers 5, Astros 2

HOUSTON—Chad Billingsley pitched eight strong innings and Andre Ethier homered for the second straight game to lead Los Angeles.

Billingsley (8-7) gave up six hits, struck out five and did not allow an earned run to win his fourth straight start.

Blake DeWitt had a two-run single and James Loney added a solo homer and an RBI double for the Dodgers, who have won six of their last seven road games.

Takashi Saito got the last three outs for his 14th save.



Giants 8, Cubs 3

SAN FRANCISCO—Tim Lincecum increased his NL-leading strikeout total to 122 with eight in six innings and singled in a run and scored for San Francisco.

Rich Aurilia hit a three-run homer in the seventh, his third career pinch-hit homer. He hadn’t had one since June 12, 2003, at the Chicago White Sox during his first stint with San Francisco.

Fred Lewis hit an RBI triple in San Francisco’s four-run second and Jose Castillo added an RBI double in the inning.

Lincecum (10-1) allowed seven hits and three runs.

Sean Gallagher (3-4) saw his winless stretch reach five starts with his third straight losing decision.



Phillies 4, Braves 1

ATLANTA—Cole Hamels came within one out of his second shutout of the Braves this season, capping the Phillies’ second series sweep in Atlanta this year.

Hamels gave up his only run with two outs in the ninth. Tom Gordon retired Jeff Francoeur for his second save.

Hamels struck out seven and walked two while giving up five hits and one run in 8 2-3 innings. He gave up four hits in a 5-0 win over the Braves in Philadelphia on May 15 for his first career shutout, and added another shutout over Cincinnati on June 5.

Chase Utley, Ryan Howard and Pedro Feliz hit home runs as the Phillies improved to 8-1 against the Braves this season.

The Phillies hit seven homers and outscored the Braves 19-7 in the series, dropping Atlanta (40-46) a season-low six games below .500.

Utley hit his team-leading 24th homer off Jair Jurrjens (8-4) in the first. Jurrjens also gave up homers to Howard in the sixth and Feliz in the seventh.



Reds 5, Nationals 3

CINCINNATI—Brandon Phillips had three hits and three RBIs and Cincinnati capitalized on a Washington error for its rally.

Corey Patterson, pinch-hitting for starting pitcher Johnny Cueto, reached second after a bunt when Washington first baseman Dmitri Young couldn’t handle the throw from relief pitcher Jesus Colome (2-2). Patterson moved to third on Jerry Hairston’s single.

After an intentional walk and a popup, Phillips lined Luis Ayala’s first pitch down the right-field line for a two-run single.

Cueto (7-8) allowed seven hits and three runs with one walk and eight strikeouts in seven innings for his second consecutive win after three straight losses.

Francisco Cordero pitched a perfect ninth for his 16th save and first since June 25.